Roof type powered ventilator



A E-i5 M, 1%? L. COOK ROOF TYPE POWERED VENTILATOR Filed Sept. 28 1965INVENTOR Laren C'ok United States Patent 3,313,228 R00 TYPE POWEREDVENTILATGR Loren Cook, Berea, Ohio, assignor to Loren Cook Company, acorporation of Shin Filed Sept. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 490,867 3 Claims.(CI. 98-43) My invention relates to ventilators and more particularly toroot ventilators in which improved means are provided for directing airupwardly from the roof of a building.

in root ventilators as heretofore constructed, the air is usuallydirected downwardly toward the roof of the building because when meansare provided to direct the air upwardly away from the roof of thebuilding, back draft dampers on the discharge side of the fan or blowerare necessary to protect the ventilator from weather elements, such asrain or melted sleet or snow, when the air blower is at rest. Inaccordance with the present invention, I have provided a roof ventilatorwhich is designed to eject air, such as air contaminated with grease orwith acid or caustic fumes into the atmosphere away from the roof of abuilding. Means are also provided in my improved ventilator for drainingwhether elements, such as rain or melted sleet or snow, from theventilator.

In my improved ventilator a comparatively large motor compartment isprovided which is enclosed by a casing having inlet and outlet meansthrough which air is circulated to cool the motor, the flow of which isaccelerated by air forced outwardly by a fan or blower arranged within ablower compartment. In my improved structure, the motor casing has avertically extending annular wall which is spaced inwardly from baiflemeans to form a path for air flowing outwardly from the blowercompartment and the upper end of this wall is first turned inwardly in asubstantially radial direction toward the axis of the ventilator and isthen inclined upwardly and inwardly toward the axis of the ventilator toprovide a dome which terminates in a substantially flat cover portion.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved roof ventilator having a blower and means associated with theblower for directing air upwardly from the ventilator.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved ventilator inwhich air is directed upwardly from the roof of a building and in whichimproved means is provided for preventing weather elements, such asrain, or melted sleet or snow from entering the building through theventilator.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improvedventilator having bafiie means associated therewith for directing airupwardly away from the building and particularly air that iscontaminated with grease or with acid or caustic fumes.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as thespecification proceeds.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a central sectional view or" my improved ventilator showingparts in elevation;

'FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on a plane passing through theline 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing the connection between theupper and lower air-directing baflles;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the means for connecting themotor casing to the motor-supporting plate; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view showing means for supporting the airdirecting baifles.

As illustrated in the drawings, my improved ventilator includes a base 1which is shaped to fit over a curb extending upwardly from the roof of abuilding which curb may be of any desired shape, such as square orrectangular. As shown, the base terminates in an upwardly extendingannular throat or duct portion 2 which is concentric with the axis ofthe ventilator, the parts of which ventilator are arranged to provide ablower compartment 3, a casing 4 having a motor 5 arranged therein, andupper and lower annular bafiles 6 and 7 for directing air upwardly fromthe blower compartment, the upper bafile 6 being spaced outwardly froman annular vertical wall 8 of the motor casing to provide a dischargepassage for air between the motor casing and the upper b aille.

As shown in the drawings, a motor plate 9 having a central openingtherein is provided for separating the motor compartment from the blowercompartment and a shaft 10 arranged in the motor compartment extendsthrough the central opening of plate 9 and is secured to a fan or blower11 arranged within the blower compart ment. Plate 9 has a downwardlyinclined annular wall 12 arranged a short distance inwardly from thevertical wall 8 of the motor casing from which wall an annular portion13 extends radially outwardly from the axis of the ventilator andterminates in a downwardly inclined comparatively short annular bafile14 which is arranged above the outwardly flared portion 17 of the lowerbaffie 7.

The lower baffle 7 has a vertically extending annular wall 15, the lowerportion of which extends below the duct means 2 but is spaced from base1 and the upper end of which first extends radially outwardly relativeto the axis of the ventilator as indicated by the numeral 16 and is thenflared outwardly and upwardly as indicated by the numeral 17 andterminates in a vertical or substantially vertical portion and the upperbaffle 6 has a vertical or a substantially vertical lower portion whichabuts the upper portion of the lower baifle 7 and is then inclinedupwardly and inwardly toward the axis of the ventilator and terminatesin an annular rim 18 which extends upwardly in a vertical orsubstantially vertical direction.

In accordance with my invention, means are provided for strengtheningthe bafiles and for connecting the upper port-ion of the lower baifleand the lower portion of the upper b-atfle together. For strengtheningthe baifles, the lower portion of the upper bafile and the upper portionof the lower baffle each terminates in an annular head 19 and 20,respectively, and for connecting the baffles together spaced straps 21are provided, the lower portion of each of which is connected to thelower baffle by a bolt 22 having a lock washer 23 and a nut 24 securedthereto and to permit easy removal of the upper bafiie to provide accessto the blower compartment and the motor casing, the upper portion ofeach of the straps 21 has an internally threaded bushing 25 therein forreceiving a thumb screw 26 which extends through an aperture in thelower portion of bafiie 6 and is threaded into bushing 25.

Means are also provided for supporting the motor plate in upwardlyspaced relation to throat 2 to form the blower compartment and the lowerportion of baffie 7 in spaced relation to the upper wall of base 1 toprovide a substantially annular outlet passage for weather eiements,such as rain or melted snow or sleet. As shown, a series of upper andlower posts 27 and 28 are provided, each of which has internallythreaded sockets at its upper and lower end portions as shown moreparticularly in FIG. 5. The lower posts 27 rest upon the base 1 with thethreaded sockets in each post arranged in alignment with an aperture inthe base and a screw 29 is inserted through an aperture in the base andis threaded upwardly into each post. The radially extending portion 16of the lower baffle also has a plurality of apertures therein, each ofwhich is arranged in alignment with an internally threaded upper socketin a post 28 and a plurality of threaded studs 30- are provided, each ofwhich extends through an opening in the lower baffle and is threadedinto the upper socket in a post 28. Each of the studs 30 protrudesupwardly beyond the radial portion 16 of the lower baffle and each ofthe upper posts 27 has an internally threaded socket in its lower endportion which is threaded downwardly upon the upwardly protrudingportion of a stud 30 until the lower portion of each of the postsengages the radially extending portion of the lower batfle.

To provide a support for the motor plate, the upper end of each of theupper posts has an internally threaded socket at its upper portion forreceiving a screw 31, each of which screws extend through an aperture inthe horizontally extending arm 32 of an angular member and through theradially extending portion of the motor plate 9 and is threaded into theupper socket of one of the upper posts 27. The other arm 33 of each ofthe angular members extends upwardly and is provided with a threadedbushing 34 and the threaded portion of a thumb screw 35 extends throughan opening in the vertically extending portion of the motor casing andis threaded into the bushing 34. The thumb screws 35 may be easilyreleased to enable the upper portion of the motor casing to be removedfrom plate 9 to provide access to motor 5.

If desired the shaft 10 may be driven directly by the motor as shown inPatent No. 3,203,081 granted to me on August 24, 1965, in which case themotor may be secured directly to the motor plate 9 or as shown in FIGS.1 and 2, the shaft 10 may be driven indirectly by means of a belt 36.The blower wheel 11 is arranged in the blower compartment 3 and consiststo an upper plate 37 and a plurality of blades 38 which are secured toplate 37 in any desired manner, such as by screws. To provide quiteoperation of the blower, each of the blades is of the air foil type andas shown is provided with a flange 39 which is riveted or otherwisesecured to plate 37.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, the blower is drivenby the shaft 10 which extends through bearings 40 and 41 which may besupported in any suitable manner. As shown, a frame is providedconsisting of side walls 42 and 43 which are secured to the motor plateby suitable means, such as bolts, and between which upper and lowercross pieces 44 and 45, respectively, extend which form supports forbearings 40 and 41.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower portion of shaft 10 extends through thecross piece 45 and plates 9 and 37 and terminates in a hub 46 to whichit may be secured by any suitable means, such as a set screw, not shown.Hub 46 in turn has a flange 47 secured thereto which is also secured toplate 37 by suitable means, such as bolts, and prevents the entrance ofair from the blower compartment into the motor compartment through whichshaft 10 extends. The shaft 10 serves to support the blower in itsdesired rotatable position. The upper end of shaft 10 also extends intoa hub 48 having a pulley 49 secured thereto.

The motor may be secured to the supporting frame in any suitable manner.As shown, it is secured to a bracket 50 which in turn is secured to theside walls 42 and 43 of the frame and the shaft of the motor extendsinto a hub 51 having a pulley 52 secured thereto which is arranged inalignment with pulley 49 and belt 36 is trained around pulleys 49 and 52which rotates shaft and blower 11 when motor 5 is energized.

To provide a circulation of air for cooling the motor, an annular inletopening may be provided for the entrance of air in the side wall of thedome as shown in my patent previously referred to or spaced louvers 53may be formed in the side wall of the dome of the motor casing whichhave downwardly extending flanges to prevent the entrance of weatherelements into the motor compartment and to provide an outlet for airfrom the motor casing, arms 33 of the spaced angular members extendupwardly from the radially extending portion 13 of the motor plate andform supports for the bushings 34 in which the thumb screws 35 arethreaded. The thumb screws support the vertical portion of the motorcasing at a spaced distance upwardly from the radial portion 13 of themotor plate 59 to thereby provide an annular opening 54 for the egressof air and as air from the blower compartment is expelled upwardlythrough the outlet passage between the wall 18 of the upper bafile andthe vertically extending wall of the motor casing, a negative pressureis created which draws air outwardly from the motor casing at a speedcorresponding to the speed at which air is expelled from the ventilator.

The downwardly extending annular wall 12 of the motor plate limits thedistance that weather elements may flow into the motor casing throughthe opening 54 between the lower vertical portion 8 of the motor casingand the radial wall of motor plate 9 and any weather elements that areblown into this space or flow downwardly from the dome of the motorcasing, such as rain, or melted snow or sleet, will flow over bafile 14and drain on to the flaring portion 17 of the lower batlle 7 from whenceit flows downwardly over the vertical flange 15 on to the upper wall ofthe base and then through the annular outlet passage on to the roof.

For energizing motor 5, insulated electrical conductors 56 connected toa suitable source of electrical energy extend through an opening in thebase 1 and through tube 57 to the motor 5.

What is claimed is:

1. A ventilator including a base having an upper wall for application toa curb surrounding an opening in a roof which base has an upwardlyextending duct means arranged in alignment with the axis of theventilator, a motor casing having a substantially vertical wall portion,a motor arranged in the motor casing, a blower arranged below the motorcasing, a shaft operatively associated with the motor and said blowerfor rotating the blower when the motor is energized, annular bafflemeans consisting of upper and lower annular baffles having contiguousbeads engaging each other, means for bracing the bafiles and connectingthem together comprising a plurality of spaced straps arrangedinteriorly of the baffle means, each having a threaded bushing in itsupper portion, means for locking the lower portion of each of the strapsto the upper portion of the lower battle, spaced fastening meansextending through the lower part of the upper baffle, each beingreleasably threaded into one of said bushings, said lower baffle havinga downwardly ex tending annular rim which extends below said duct meansand is perpendicular to the upper wall of the base portion, means forsupporting said motor casing and said bafile means with the rim of thelower baflie spaced a short distance upwardly from said base to providean annular opening between the lower portion of said rim and the upperwall of said base, said lower bafile also including an annular portionextending substantially radially outwardly from its rim and an outwardlyand upwardly flared portion which terminates radially outwardly fromsubstantially the central portion of said blower, and said upper bafllebeing tapered inwardly from the upper portion of the lower baffie andterminating in a short vertical annular rim which is substantiallyparallel to and is spaced radially outwardly from the vertical portionof the motor casing to thereby provide a chamber through which air maybe expelled outwardly and upwardly and through which Weather elementsentering between the annular rim of the upper baffie means and the lowerportion of the motor casing which are liquid or become liquid may bedrained downwardly upon the flaring wall of the lower baflle andoutwardly on to the base portion below the annular rim of the the lowerbaflle.

2. A ventilator including a base having an upper wall for application toa curb surrounding an opening in a roof which base has an upwardlyextending duct means arranged in alignment with the axis of theventilator, a motor casing including a vertically extending annularwall, and a motor plate having a central opening, an annular radialportion, and a downwardly extending annular portion which extendsoutwardly a short distance beyond the casing and has an outer peripheralportion which is flared downwardly from the casing, a motor arranged inthe motor casing, a blower arranged below the motor casing, a shaftextending through the central opening in the motor plate and beingoperatively associated with the motor and said blower for rotating theblower when the motor is energized, annular baflle means consisting ofupper and lower annular baffles having contiguous mating beads, meansapplied inside of the baflie means for bracing the baflles andconnecting them together comprising a plurality of spaced straps, eachhaving a threaded bushing in its upper portion, means for locking thelower portion of each of the straps to the upper portion of the lowerbaflle and spaced means extending through the lower portion of the upperbaflle, each being releasably threaded into one of said bushings, saidlower baflle having a downwardly extending annular rim which extendsbelow said duct means and is perpendicular to the upper wall of the baseportion, means for supporting said motor casing and said baflle meanswith the rim of the lower bafl'le spaced a short distance upwardly fromthe base to provide an annular opening for liquid weather elementsbetween the lower portion of said rim and the upper wall of said base,said lower baflle also including an annular portion extendingsubstantially radially outwardly from its rim and an outwardly andupwardly flaring portion which terminates radially outwardly fromsubstantially the central portion of said blower and said upper baflflebeing spaced outwardly from the downwardly flaring portion of the motorplate and being tapered inwardly from the upper portion of the lowerbafile and terminating in a short vertical annular rim that is spacedradially outwardly from and is substantially parallel to the annularvertical wall portion of the motor casing to thereby provide a chamberthrough which air may be expelled outwardly and upwardly and throughwhich liquid weather elements entering between the annular rim of theupper battle and the vertical wall of the motor casing or which fallupon the downwardly flaring periphery of the motor plate may be draineddownwardly upon the flaring wall of the lower bafile and outwardly on tothe base below the annular rim of the lower battle.

3. A ventilator including a base having an upper wall for application toa curb surrounding an opening in the roof which base has an upwardlyextending duct means arranged in alignment with the axis of theventilator, a motor casing including a vertically extending annular walland a dome-shaped cover having air inlet means therein, a motor platehaving a central opening a downwardly extending wall arranged a shortdistance inwardly from the 6 vertical wall of the motor casing and aradial portion which terminates in a downwardly extending peripheralbattle which extends outwardly a short distance beyond the motor casing,a motor arranged in the motor casing, a blower arranged below the motorcasing, a shaft extending downwardly through the centralopening in saidmotor plate and being operatively associated with said blower forrotating said blower when the motor is energized, annular baflle meansconsisting of upper and lower annular bafl'les having contiguous matingbeads, means arranged interiorly of the baflle means for bracing thebafiles and connecting them together, said bracing means comprising aplurality of spaced straps, each having a threaded bushing in its upperportion, means for locking the lower portion of each of the straps tothe upper portion of the lower baflle and spaced means extending throughthe lower portion of the upper baflle, each being releasably threadedinto one of said bushings, said lower baffle having a downwardlyextending annular rim, an annular radially extending portion and anupwardly and outwardly flaring portion which terminates radiallyoutwardly from substantially the central portion of said blower and saidupper baflle having an upwardly and inwardly flaring portion whichterminates in an annular rim which is substantially parallel to thelower vertical wall portion of said casing, post means for engaging andsupporting said baflle means and the radial portion of the motor plate,means associated with said post means and said motor casing formaintaining the Vertical wall of said casing in spaced relation to theradial portion of the motor plate to provide an annular opening for thecirculation of air through the motor casing, and said balfle meansproviding a chamber through which air from the duct means dischargedoutwardly and upwardly by said blower will increase the flow of airthrough the motor casing to cool the motor and will also provide apassage which is so shaped that liquid weather elements entering thechamber between the outwardly extending rim of the upper baflle and thevertical wall of said casing and liquid weather elements which flow intothe opening or which drain downwardly over the dome-shaped casing andits vertical wall will flow downwardly over the flaring periphery ofsaid motor plate and the inner wall of said baflle on to the outerflaring portion of the lower baflle and then over the downwardlyextending rim on to the upper wall of said base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,188,741 1/1940Roberts 98-72 2,687,685 8/1954 Knutson et al 98-42 3,040,646 6/1962Jueng et al. 9843 3,045,579 7/1962 Jenn et al. 98-43 3,122,088 2/1964Patterson 9843 3,202,081 8/1965 Cook 98-43 ROBERT A. OLEARY, PrimaryExaminer.

MEYER PERLIN, Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assisfant Examiner.

1. A VENTILATOR INCLUDING A BASE HAVING AN UPPER WALL FOR APPLICATION TOA CURB SURROUNDING AN OPENING IN A ROOF WHICH BASE HAS AN UPWARDLYEXTENDING DUCT MEANS ARRANGED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF THEVENTILATOR, A MOTOR CASING HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL WALL PORTION,A MOTOR ARRANGED IN THE MOTOR CASING, A BLOWER ARRANGED BELOW THE MOTORCASING, A SHAFT OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOTOR AND SAID BLOWERFOR ROTATING THE BLOWER WHEN THE MOTOR IS ENERGIZED, ANNULAR BAFFLEMEANS CONSISTING OF UPPER AND LOWER ANNULAR BAFFLES HAVING CONTIGUOUSBEADS ENGAGING EACH OTHER, MEANS FOR BRACING THE BAFFLES AND CONNECTINGTHEM TOGETHER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED STRAPS ARRANGEDINTERIORLY OF THE BAFFLE MEANS, EACH HAVING A THREADED BUSHING IN ITSUPPER PORTION, MEANS FOR LOCKING THE LOWER PORTION OF EACH OF THE STRAPSTO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE LOWER BAFFLE, SPACED FASTENING MEANSEXTENDING THROUGH THE LOWER PART OF THE UPPER BAFFLE, EACH BEINGRELEASABLY THREADED INTO ONE OF SAID BUSHINGS, SAID LOWER BAFFLE HAVINGA DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR RIM WHICH EXTENDS BELOW SAID DUCT MEANSAND IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE UPPER WALL OF THE BASE PORTION, MEANS FORSUPPORTING SAID MOTOR CASING AND SAID BAFFLE MEANS WITH THE RIM OF THELOWER BAFFLE SPACED A SHORT DISTANCE UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE TO PROVIDEAN ANNULAR OPENING BETWEEN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID RIM AND THE UPPERWALL OF SAID BASE, SAID LOWER BAFFLE ALSO INCLUDING AN ANNULAR PORTIONEXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM ITS RIM AND AN OUTWARDLYAND UPWARDLY FLARED PORTION WHICH TERMINATES RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROMSUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID BLOWER, AND SAID UPPER BAFFLEBEING TAPERED INWARDLY FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF THE LOWER BAFFLE ANDTERMINATING IN A SHORT VERTICAL ANNULAR RIM WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL TO AND IS SPACED RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE VERTICAL PORTIONOF THE MOTOR CASING TO THEREBY PROVIDE A CHAMBER THROUGH WHICH ARE MAYBE EXPELLED OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY AND THROUGH WHICH WEATHER ELEMENTSENTERING BETWEEN THE ANNULAR RIM OF THE UPPER BAFFLE MEANS AND THE LOWERPORTION OF THE MOTOR CASING WHICH ARE LIQUID OR BECOME LIQUID MAY BEDRAINED DOWNWARDLY UPON THE FLARING WALL OF THE LOWER BAFFLE ANDOUTWARDLY ON TO THE BASE PORTION BELOW THE ANNULAR RIM OF THE THE LOWERBAFFLE.